Intensive and Extensive 2 Ways of Reading That Power Language Learning

Intensive and Extensive 2 Ways of Reading That Power Language Learning Intensive and Extensive: 2 Ways of Reading That Power Language Learning We learn languages for a host of different reasons.Some of us do it for educational purposes, employment opportunities, travel goals or to communicate with family or friends, among other motivations.But diverse as our motivations may be, we all want to read in our target language, dont we?Reading is basic. Its practical. It opens up worlds and broadens horizons.Its also just enjoyable. Sometimes it even includes fun material like comic books and romance novels.And most of us want to not just stumble through; we want to read well.The great news is that not only is it possible to train yourself to read well in your target language, you can actually use reading as a method to teach yourself vocabulary, sentence structure and more.With two different but complementary strategiesâ€"extensive and intensive readingâ€"we can strengthen our reading skills and overall fluency.Lets see how! Intensive and Extensive: 2 Ways of Reading That Power Language LearningIntensive and extensive reading, named after a detailed study by Harold Palmer, are two distinct methods of reading. Both are useful for learning a second language.What Intensive Reading IsIntensive reading is just what the name implies!Its reading where testing, evaluating and increasing knowledge is the primary focus. Understanding the literal meaning of whats being read is vital. Reading intensively often includes note-taking and attention to details.In intensive reading, theres an emphasis on deconstructing sentences to understand grammar and syntax rules as well as to extricate the details of the topic. It can also involve reading comprehension testing, such as finding answers to specific questions.Some possible examples of intensive reading material are reports, contracts, news articles, blog posts and short pieces of text such as short stories.What Extensive Reading IsExtensive reading is a completely different sort of approach.Know how it feels when youre doing something simply for the joy of doing it? Like riding a bicycle or dancing, when you know it wont matter if you don’t get the gears shifted perfectly or your dance steps dont hit every downbeat?Extensive reading is like that. Its reading for fun. And its doing it as often as possible.Fluency and total comprehension arent necessary for extensive reading. Its great to read at or, even better, below a comfortable level of understanding. Most of the time, an unfamiliar word can be deciphered by the surrounding text and if not, thats fine, too. Its not vital to understand every single word in order to get the general idea of a particular passage.Its generally accepted that 90-95% of the words should be familiar in order to read comfortably in a foreign language. And most of us can get along pretty well even without having all that vocabulary in our toolboxes. Guessing, especially when reading extensively, does work.The idea behind extensive reading is that increased exposure leads to stronger language skills. Think of the vocabula ry youre being exposed to when you read a lot. And seeing the structure, idioms and cadence of a language leads to familiarity, which leads to reading competence.Think about dancing again. The more you dance, the better you get. Reading extensively is just like thatâ€"but without the tight shoes!Possible examples of extensive reading material are magazines, graded readers, novels and, yes, even comic books!How to Build a Learning Program Using Both Types of Reading with SMART GoalsOne of the best ways to incorporate both intensive and extensive reading in your learning is by setting SMART goals.SMART goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.Lets be clear on what this acronym means so we can see how it applies to intensive and extensive reading programs.Specific is pretty clear-cut. It means just that, specific. I want to read in Spanish isnt a specific goal. I want to read in Spanish proficiently by this time next year is a specific goal.Measura ble goals are a road map for getting to your final goal. They define the way you plan to accomplish what youre setting out to do. Ill read one blog post and one chapter in my target language every day. One post, one chapter. Totally measurable.Attainable goals are less concrete than the others in that they depend on your level of commitment. Almost any goal is attainable, but are you willing to do what it takes to make it happen? Only you can answer that one. It requires putting your mind to doing something, then just doing it.I wont read in any language other than my target language. This is an example of a goal you might set in order to make the amount of reading you want to do realistic and attainable. An  attainable goal must positively influence the overall outcome and also be attainable in itself, and whether or not it is will depend on your level of commitment.  Setting attainable goals is helpful because theyre part of the actual how to process of your overall goal.Relevant goals answer the question  why? Why are you doing this? Whats your reason for tackling the overall goal? I want to read well in my new language so I can plow through the bestseller list without stopping!Timely is definitely a no-nonsense part of the process. Set your timeframe and stick to it.Now that weve got the whole SMART goal setting thing sorted out, lets apply it to both types of reading.Devise a schedule that will allow you to apply both methods of reading to your language study. Maybe alternate days for intensive and extensive reading. Or devote an hour in the morning to one type and another hour (or whatever time you have available for reading) to the other.SMART Goals for Intensive ReadingSetting SMART goals for intensive reading isn’t difficult. An example of an intensive reading program using the SMART method might be:Specific: “I want to read five blog posts each week.”Measurable: “Ill read one blog post a day.”Attainable: “Ill only read blog posts in the l anguage I’m studying.”Relevant: “I’m trying to learn how sentences are structured and pick up every detail of what’s written.”Timely: “Every morning from 8-9, I’ll read intensively.”Remember, this plan is just an example. Use it as a jumping-off point for your own intensive reading program. If youre more of a news article person, substitute those for blogs. Honestly, there isnt one material thats best for everyone; its really a matter of personal preference. People tend to read more when theyre interested in what theyre reading. Me? Ill take a fashion magazine over a dry textbook any day! Choose options that appeal to you, and insert them in the appropriate spots.Also, the number of items on the reading list and times are suggestions. Tailor the plan to fit your schedule.When you read intensively, ask yourself questions about the material and look for answers. Compile a vocabulary list and look up every word you don’t recognize. Read to dissect the structure of t he piece and evaluate grammar rules so you can readily apply them to your own writing.SMART Goals for Extensive ReadingIt’s far easier to set SMART goals for extensive reading because so many of the stressful challenges (vocabulary lists, searching for answers, etc.) are no longer factors. This is the type of reading for enjoyment, remember? But SMART goals can still ramp up this part of your language program.A SMART goal strategy for extensive reading could read as follows:Specific: “I want to read one book a week.”Measurable: “Ill read 30 pages each day.”Attainable: “I wont read any books that aren’t written in my target language.”Relevant: “Im doing this so Ill be able to read well in this foreign language.”Timely: “Ill read every day from 4-6 before I eat dinner.”Extensive reading simply requires you to read. Choose a favorite book and read for the joy of it. Recognize what you know, but don’t stress over missed words or phrases. Quantity counts in this exercise. Of course, the bigger your vocabulary, the easier its going to be to read, but its not essential to be fluent to use this type of reading to help achieve your reading goal.Both intensive and extensive reading programs provide material for keeping reading journals. Keep track of what you read, how easily youre understanding the material, and how your vocabulary is increasing. Before too long, the journals will reflect your SMART goal programs by showing an improvement in reading skills!How to Find Interesting Reading Material That Works for YouIntensive Reading MaterialIntensive reading materials are everywhere. Blog posts, news articles and any pieces of short text are ideal for intensive reading practice. Additionally, childrens books work well in the beginning of intensive reading programs.Wondering how to track down some super-relevant intensive reading material in your target language? Easier than you might think.Say youre learning to speak (and read!) Portuguese. I G oogled magazines written in Portuguese and within 10 seconds I had so many to choose from. Here are just a couple:Planeta focuses on environmental, cultural and health issues.The Brazilian edition of Elle magazine is just as sleek and up-to-date as the one I pick up at my local newsstand.Both make me consider putting learning Portuguese on my to-do list, if only for the fun of reading their mags!I tried the same line in my browser but substituted Italian for the target language. Italian is a language I read and speak so the  huge assortment  of magazines that came up  was absolutely wonderful.Interested in the daily news from Milan?  Try  Corriere della Sera.D la Repubblica is an Italian magazine with lifestyle, fashion, beauty and even cooking tips.Both of these kept me reading and browsing much longer than I intended to be at my computer, but Im not complaining!Timely and interesting reading material? And loads of it? Whats not to love?Its a snap to do this for any language.Rememb er, resources for both types of reading can come from internet downloads, a local library or any bookstore and, apart from the bookstore, a lot of it is free.Extensive Reading MaterialWhen its time for extensive reading practice, its more a matter of narrowing down choices than searching for them! Actually, there are so many options that it might seem a bit overwhelming, so weve narrowed things down a bit.Here are some suggestions for beginning an extensive reading program:French foreign language books seem to have very attractive covers! Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) is one of my favorites, in any language! If youre a Stephen King fan, It is available in a three-book series in a French version called  Ã‡a.Spanish is such a widely-read language that there are many books in all genres to choose from. Harry Potter  always catches my attention. La hora de la araña  is the Alex Cross mystery by James Patterson Along Came a Spider.Chinese has no shortage of translated books. Life of Pi has been readâ€"and enjoyedâ€"by readers all over the globe. The Historical Lessons of China is a volume of 24 essays which, depending on the individual essay, might prove handy for intensive practice, as well.Italian is such a romantic language, both when read aloud and silently. Honestly, I could read Italian exclusively and never grow bored.  Harry Potter  is super interesting in Italian, too! For something a bit less involved, Ottavia e i Gatti di Roma (Octavia and the Cats of Rome) is a bilingual picture book.German-language books run the gamut from health to travel to spiritualityâ€"and include popular fiction, as well. Der Kleine Prinz (The Little Prince) is just as good in German as it is in other languages!English-language books  are, of course, readily available. Some of the ones from the bestseller lists are perfect for extensive reading. Theyre pulling millions of readers into their stories so theyre an ideal choice for reading practice. Practice thats riveting? Pe rfect!P.S. from Paris,  translated from the French, is getting a ton of book chatter, both in the industry and among readers. Any Dream Will Do: A Novel is filled with feel-good moments that are ideal for making reading time feel like pure enjoyment rather than part of a learning program. If youre a non-fiction fan, theres buzz about Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon.More Material, and Choosing Whats Right for YouKeep in mind that what you choose for both intensive and extensive reading practice should be geared to your reading level. There are a few ways to gauge whether a book, magazine or any other type of reading material is right for you.Extensive readers shouldnt discount books theyve already read in their native language. In fact, this is a very good option for choosing books, especially if youre just getting started  with reading practice.If youre reading a book in another language that youre already familiar with, it wont be a stretch to figure out meanings or decipher new-to-you vocabulary. Hey, you already know the gist of the story, and a filling-in-the-blanks adventure has a great place in extensive reading practice.Ditto for  any material  that has side-by-side translations. They work for both types of reading but are especially helpful when reading intensively and focusing on determining critical answers or nailing down tricky  grammar issues. Seeing the words in print, in their entirety, eliminates ambiguity.Theres no shortage of graded readers and they work for both types of reading. Wondering what graded readers are? Theyre books that have been graded according to vocabulary.If you have any doubts about your reading ability or what level to begin with, why not check  out graded reader offerings? Theyre available in nearly every language and as you gain your reading chops you can advance to the next level!Consider:The Italian Bookshop for  readers in  Italian.Sinolingua for  its  beautiful Chinese readers.Penguin R eaders for tackling English.Klett for German readers.CDJapan for Japanese graded readers (some of these have  fantastic artwork!).The go-to spot for Spanish graded readers is European Schoolbooks Limited. I personally have several volumes from this site on my shelves, and a couple are very well-read.Childrens Library offers graded readers in French, and again, the artwork  in some of these books  is  delightful.Dont forget the Amazon previews, or look inside feature available with so many titles. If youre not sure about a selection, peek inside. See how many words on the first page, or first few pages, you understand. Gauge your readiness with this feature and whether youre really interested in a particular book, as well.Skim through as many first pages as it takes to find material you can comfortably comprehend. But remember, extensive reading doesnt demand that you know all the words, so give  yourself room to grow and learn!Remember: Reading Takes TimeWe learn skills through prac tice. Reading isnt any different; reading well takes lots of practice, so if its not going really well in the beginning, dont get discouraged. And dont give up!Whatever language youre studying, choose materials relevant to both types of reading. Keep at it, and expand both types of reading programs as competenceâ€"and confidence!â€"grows.Create a reading habit. Its a healthy one that will get you closer to fluency.As with any habit, the more you do it, the better youll get at it.Read, read, readâ€"and then read some more! And One More ThingIf youre digging the concepts in this post, youll love learning with FluentU.It can be your all-in-one stop for intensive readingâ€"and it gives you audio and video that familiarize you with cultural landmarks youre likely to encounter in your extensive reading as well.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, a s you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.